


A Sea Of Ink Would Not Be Enough (But You Built Me Dreams Instead)

by ellagm



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Books, Bookshop, Clary Fray & Alec Lightwood Friendship, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Post-it Notes, absolutely - Freeform, am i just using my favourite books?, because we need more of that, the night circus - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:34:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29925222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellagm/pseuds/ellagm
Summary: Leaning back into his seat, he carefully took out his new copy of The Night Circus, to start reading it. He skipped past the introduction pages and went straight to the first chapter.Only, he didn’t see the words, he saw a sticky note which read:“Hello, we probably haven’t met before, and probably never will, but since you’re reading this, it means you have great taste in books. We would probably make great friends. Enjoy the book.~ M.B.”
Relationships: Clary Fray & Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane & Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 2
Kudos: 50





	A Sea Of Ink Would Not Be Enough (But You Built Me Dreams Instead)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, I’m back with another fic. I’ve been having writers block, but I saw a picture on pinterest that inspired this and broke the block I had. So everyone say thank you pinterest. Anyway, is this fanfiction an excuse to gush about my favourite books? Absolutely. Everyone go read The Night Circus now. No book has ever topped it for me. (Also, anyone catch The Night Circus quote in the title?)

“How do you still have money to keep going?” Alec’s best friend Clary complained as he dragged her through another section of the bookstore. 

“Not all of us waste every penny we have on art supplies,” he replied, still walking towards the fantasy section.

Clary huffed and swept her hand up and down, indicating to Alec, “Yeah, apparently some of us, _waste_ _every penny we have_ on books.” 

“It’s not a wast—“ he started but stopped when she raised ( “ _Tried to raise,_ Clarissa. ” “ _It’s not my fault I can’t do it,_ Alexander .” ) an eyebrow at him. “Okay,” he raised his hands in defeat, “alright, you’ve made your point.”

Ignoring her satisfied noise he started again towards the Fantasy shelves, stopping at the High Fantasy section. Gaze sweeping up and down until he saw the book he was looking for. “Aha” he exclaimed as he raised his hand to get it. 

He’d come to the bookstore hoping they had it, and here it was. The hardcover edition of  _The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern_.  Yes, he had read it before as a mass paperback, but he’d loved it so much he wanted this version as well. _Sue him._

Satisfied, he turned around and went to the cash register, Clary barely catching up to him as she was on her phone and just now noticed he had disappeared.

“Don’t you already have this one?” she asked once she saw the book he got.

“I do,” he said while putting the rest of the books he wanted to buy on the counter.

“Then why—“ she started before stopping, “Actually, forget I asked.” She knew better than to start about his books. Once he started taking about one, it took him some time to stop.

“This one’s really good.” a new voice chimed in. Alec looked back from Clary to the bookshop worker who was holding up  _The Night Circus_ in her hand., “My favourite book actually.” she said before scanning it and moving on to the next book. 

Alec looked at her name tag  _ “Gabriella” _ ,it read. “I know right?” he replied with an easy smile, “I’ve read it before, but I just had to get this edition.”

Gabriella laughed, “Trust me,” she answered as she scanned the last book, “I know how it is. That’ll be 120$.”

Alec ignored Clary’s muttered  _ “And there goes your monthly money..” _ while he pulled out his wallet and handed the blond girl said money.

“Here you go,” she spoke, shoving the bill in the plastic bag she had put the books in, and giving it to Alec. “Enjoy your books.”

“I will,” he replied while turning away towards the exit, “Thank you.”

——————————————

Alec got in the passenger’s seat in the front while Clary got in the driver’s and started the car, the song that was currently on the radio starting to play. 

Alec started humming when he heard what the song was:  _ War of Hearts by Ruelle _ , one of his favorites.

Leaning back into his seat, he carefully took out his new copy of  _ The Night Circus _ , to start reading it. He skipped past the introduction pages and went straight to the first chapter. 

Only, he didn’t see the words, he saw a sticky note which read:

_ Hello, we probably haven’t met before, and probably never will, but since you’re reading this, it means you have great taste in books. We would probably make great friends. Enjoy the book. _

_ ~ M.B.  _

Huh, Alec can’t honestly say he was expecting that, but for some reason, this made him smile, if only a slight quirk of the lips. 

And if instead of throwing the note out, he stuck it to the first page of the book, oh well, no one needed to know.

——————————————

The next day he walked into his first class of the day at 7:30 am, Business Law, and took a seat. This year was his first time taking the class and he wasn’t sure whether to be excited or scared. 

Before he got time to debate over the topic, a voice startled him out of his thoughts. “Is this seat taken?” 

Alec looked up and his brain stopped working for a second when he saw the guy that asked him that. He was dressed in a fancy yet casual suit with golden embroidery in rose shapes on his shoulders and bottom of his sleeves. He had dark hair, with golden tips. The man wore the tiniest bit of makeup, a slight eyeshadow and golden eyeliner.

Realizing he still hadn’t answered he gestured to the sit next to him and said “Be my guest.”

The gorgeous guy took his seat, placing the coffee cup he held in his hand on the table and taking his textbook out. 

They sat in comfortable silence for a second while people started filing in, before the man spoke again.

“You like it?” he asked, gesturing to the book Alec was reading. _The Night Circus._

“Yes, a lot,” Alec replied, carefully putting his bookmark in, before closing the book, “It’s actually my second time reading it. What about you? Have you read it?”

“Oh yes, I have,” the man answered easily, “And I have to agree, it’s my second favourite book.”

“Second favourite, huh?” Alec said, twisting in his chair to face the man better, “What’s your favourite book?”

“ _The Book Thief,_ ” he responded, “It’s always been my favourite.” he said shrugging.

“I like it too,” Alec spoke, “But I can’t say it’s my favourite.”

“That’s fine, everyone has different opinions, obviously.”

“Obviously,” he replied with a smile, “I’m Alec, by the way. Alec Lightwood” he said, offering the man a hand.

“Magnus Bane,” he replied shaking Alec’s outstretched hand, “Pleasure to meet you Alexander.”

“Alexander?” Alec asked with a raised brow.

“I assumed Alec is short for Alexander?”

“It is.. It’s just, no one calls me that.”

“Well,” Magnus said with a smirk, “I’m not no one.” 

“No you aren’t” Alec smiled.

——————————————

Over the next few months Alec and Magnus got close and eventually they both worked up the courage to ask each other out, and just happened to do it on the same day. 

So now, here Alec was, getting ready for their date with Clary’s help.

“So,” Clary said, breaking him out of his thoughts, “burgundy or violet?” she inquired, raising her hands to show him the two shirts she had picked out. One was a burgundy polo-style shirt with black and white stripes and pocket on the front and the other was a purple ( _“It’s called violet, Alec.” “Not all of us are artists, Clary.”_ ) button up. 

“Uhh, burgundy.” 

Clary looked at the shirts again before throwing the burgundy one at Alec. “Good choice,” she said before turning around to put her hand on the doorknob, “You change while I go get us something to drink.”

Alec let out an “mkay” and she was gone.

He took his white shirt off before putting the other one on and turning to look at himself in the mirror. Aside from the shirt, he was wearing black slacks and black boots. All in all, he looked alright.

Either he has been starting at himself in the mirror for too long, or Clary was super fast, as she was already back in his room with two glasses of water.

She wordlessly handed him one before going to stand behind him, looking in the mirror.

Clary placed a hand on his shoulder and then her head over it. “I can hear your thoughts. Stop worrying,” she said, “you look handsome, alright? He’s gonna love it. You. And if he doesn’t,” she shrugged, “it’s his loss.”

“Yeah,” he said, turning his body, forcing her to take her head off his shoulder, and looking at her, “you’re right.” 

“I know I am.” she answered with a smile.

He went over to his bed to pick up his phone, and his jacket, which he put on. After that he looked at Clary again. “Hey Red?” he asked.

Clary answered with a hum.

“Thanks.”

——————————————

He’s been waiting at the coffee shop they agreed to meet up at for about 5 minutes, which to be fair, he did show up at early, when Magnus showed up.

The man walked into the shop and scanned around for a few seconds before his gaze landed on Alec. He smiled, and stared to walk towards the table he was seated at.

“Hello darling.” he greeted before sitting in the empty chair across from Alec.

“Hi,” Alec replied dumbly, before continuing, “How are you?” 

“I’m great,” Magnus replied with a smile, “Well, better now, anyways.” 

Alec felt his cheeks heat up but luckily didn’t stumble over his next words. “Should I go get us something to drink?” 

“That would be nice, thank you. I’d like a Caffè Mocha.” 

“Alright. Gimme a second.” he said before getting up and walking over to the counter.

After he got their orders he got back to the table and placed them down before sitting himself at the small table. 

“So, what have you read this week?” he asked.

Magnus and him had developed their friendship based on books, so that must be a good topic for conversation, right?

“I’m glad you asked darling, I’m currently reading a standalone named  “ _Red, White and Royal Blue_ ” by Casey McQuiston,” he said while taking said book from his bag and placing it on the table.

“Oh. that’s on my TBR, how do you like it so far?”

“It’s pretty good actually, and I’ve laughed out loud quite a few times.”

“Hmm, do tell.”

“Well for one there is this scene where one of the main characters, Alex,” he chuckled, “is convinced a turkey, named Cornbread, is there to make him atone for his sins.” 

“I-“ Alec said, “Excuse me?”

“Okay so his mother is the president and he..” 

——————————————

An hour had passed and they had talked about every book they have read, are reading, or will read, when Alec remembered the note he had found in his book a few months ago. 

“You know,” he told Magnus, “a few months ago, about 4, when I bought the hardcover edition of  _ The Night Circus _ , I found a note inside.”

Magnus perked up when he heard that, almost as if he knew something, and wanted to say it, but wasn’t sure he should, “Oh really?” he asked, leaning to place his chin on his hand, “What did it say?”

“It said something like “If you found this note, it means you have great taste in books. We would probably be good friends.” or something like that.”

“Did it?” Magnus seemed to be contemplating something, before he apparently reached his decision and asked, “Was it signed?”

“I’m not sur— Oh wait, yeah,” Alec replied, “It was... How did you know?”

“Because I think I might be the person who wrote it.”

“What?” Alec asked, “You sure?”

“99%. What was it signed?”

“Let me check.” 

“Wait what,” Magnus exclaimed, “You still have it?”

“Yeah,” Alec replied, scratching his head, “I kept it,” he said, before taking the book out of his bag.

“My God,” Magnus said, amusement clear in his tone, “you really do carry it everywhere don’t you?”

“Maybe..” Alec said with a slight smile, “Now, where is it,” he murmured, flipping the book open, “Aha, here it is.” He snatched it and read the signature.  _M.B. Magnus Bane._

“M.B.,” he read aloud, “Stands for Magnus Bane, right?”

Magnus smiled, “It does.”

Alec leaned back in his chair. “Huh, what are the chances?”

“Pretty slim,” Magnus smiled, “Maybe it’s fate.”

Alec smiled back at him, “Maybe it is.”

ONE YEAR LATER

“How do you still have money to keep going?” Alec’s boyfriend of one year, Magnus complained as he dragged him through another section of the bookstore. 

“Not all of us waste every penny we have on clothes,” he replied, still walking towards the Historical Fiction section.

Magnus huffed and indicated to Alec, “Yeah, apparently some of us, waste  _every penny we have_ on books.” 

“It’s not a wast—“ he started but stopped when he raised an eyebrow at him. “Okay,” he raised his hands in defeat, “alright, you’ve made your point.”

Ignoring his satisfied noise he started again towards the Historical Fiction section, stopping when he reached it. Gaze sweeping up and down until he saw the book he was looking for. “Aha” he exclaimed as he raised his hand to get it, before turning around and showing it to Magnus. 

“ _The Book Thief_?” Magnus read aloud, “I thought you’ve read that before.” 

“I have, I just wanted this version, in honor of our anniversary.”

Magnus smiled at him, a special smile Alec noticed was reserved only for him. “I knew you were a sap,” he leaned in to peck Alec’s lips, “But do try to hurry up, we wouldn’t want to keep your siblings and Clary waiting.” 

“You’re right, we wouldn’t.” Alec replied, walking away from the shelf, book still in hand. “Let’s go.”

Together they walked to checkout and Alec placed his book down. 

“Just one?” Gabriella asked, “I’m impressed Alec.” 

Over the last year Alec had frequented the shop, him and Gabriella had become friends, and this teasing was a usual thing.

“Oh ha ha, you’re hilarious. Yes it’s just one.”

“I know I am,” the blonde replied chuckling, “Hey Magnus. How’re you doing?” 

“I’m doing great dear, you know, keeping my boyfriend from flowing our apartment with books.”

“O-kay, what day is is today, _“Make fun of Alec day”_ ?” said boyfriend complained.

“And they say I’m the dramatic one in the relationship.” Magnus murmured, while Alec pulled out his wallet and handed Gabriella 11 dollars for the book.

“Here you go,” she spoke, shoving the bill in the plastic bag she had put the book in, and giving it to Alec. “Enjoy your book.”

“I will,” he smiled, while turning away towards the exit, “Thank you.”

**Author's Note:**

> In case anyone was wondering, Gabriella is me. That’s my full name and since I love books I decided to add myself into the story because why not. Comments are appreciated, so are kudos, yk the usual speech. I’ll see y’all next time. Until them *dramatically bows*


End file.
